Map and charts: Nevadans not that gun crazy, but they like to buy guns in December

Jun. 27, 2013

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This is data from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System administered by the FBI.

It started in late 1998. All sales of firearms through federally licensed gun dealers must have a NICS checks.

However, some states use NICS checks for other reasons, like background checks for people applying for permits to carry concealed weapons or for licenses to possess guns. The FBI said these states require NICS checks for private gun sales: California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina and Vermont.

The map is a per capita comparison of NICS checks per 1,000 people since NICS checks began. The darker the color, the higher number per capita. Kentucky ranks so high in per capita checks because it now does monthly NICS checks on people with licenses to carry concealed weapons, the FBI said.

States with red dots require background checks for something other than sales from federally licensed dealers. States with green dots require NICS checks only for sales from federally liceensed dealers. This data is based on information from the FBI and from the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.